Smoky Red Lentil Dip

This spicy dip is one of my new staple recipes! If you have a hard time with spicy foods, you can try replacing the chipotles with a few sun-dried tomatoes in olive oil (or use regular sun-dried tomatoes that have been soaked in hot water for 20 minutes) and adding a teaspoon of smoked paprika. We have been keeping a batch of this red lentil dip in the fridge pretty much at all times, because in addition to being totally delicious, it’s a super convenient snack and makes a great component to a thrown-together meal when you realize that you actually don’t feel like cooking. Which did happen to me once this weekend (!!), as unlike me as that is.

It was the heatwave. Which turned out to be the most relaxing experience because we didn’t go anywhere except to the gym and to eat dim sum at Pacificana in Sunset Park (Brooklyn).

I did a bunch of cooking and recipe testing too (nothing blog-ready yet), but for that one lunch that I just didn’t feel like making something, the smoky red lentil dip plus some carrots and crackers really did the trick!

Smoky Red Lentil Dip

adapted from The First Mess Cookbook

• 1 cup red lentils
• 3 small cloves garlic
• 1 Tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp tomato paste
• 3 Tbsp cashew butter
• 2 chipotles in adobo sauce + 1 Tbsp of the sauce
• 1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp Kosher salt, plus more to taste
• extra virgin olive oil and smoke paprika, to serve

1. Add the lentils to a pot with 3 cups of water and bring to a boil. Cook for 8 to 10 minutes, until lentils are soft and beginning to fall apart. Drain in a colander and transfer to a food processor.
2. Add the garlic, lemon juice, tomato paste, cashew butter, chipotles, adobo sauce, cumin, and salt and blend well until very smooth. Taste and add more salt if necessary. Transfer to a bowl and refrigerate or serve right away drizzle with olive oil and sprinkled with smoked paprika. Serve with tortilla chips, rice cakes, sourdough bread, or crudites, or use as a sandwich spread.